Vienna Museum: 600‑Diamond Necklace Stolen in Blazing Daylight Raid

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:29:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Two men smashed a glass case and absconded with a platinum‑diamond necklace worth over $4 million from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.

An armed robbery at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts saw two suspects break a display case and steal a 600‑diamond necklace, valued at more than $4 million, today. The thieves fled toward the Stadtpark while security cameras captured their escape. Police released CCTV footage and issued a national appeal for information as investigations are underway. The incident follows a string of high‑profile museum thefts across Europe and has prompted calls for stronger security protocols in cultural institutions. The exhibition, which highlighted Van Cleef & Arpels jewels, reopened with the stolen necklace missing.

Vienna Museum: 600‑Diamond Necklace Stolen in Blazing Daylight Raid

Two men broke into the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna on Thursday afternoon, smashed a glass display case and took a platinum‑diamond necklace that had more than 600 gems and is valued at over $4 million. The so‑called “V.I.N.” necklace was part of a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition that ran until September.

The suspects were captured on the museum’s security cameras as they fled toward the nearby Stadtpark. A police statement said one of the men was believed to be carrying a live firearm. Images of the two attackers have been released to the public and authorities are accepting any tips that might lead to their arrest.

The necklace was originally designed for the former Egyptian royal family and was worn by Queen Nazli at her daughter Fawzia’s 1939 wedding to the future Shah of Iran. It weighs more than 200 carats and includes a world‑famous white‑backed diamond design.

MAK director Lilli Hollein said the museum’s security plan had been prepared with Van Cleef & Arpels but that the robbers had still managed to breach the display. “No one was hurt and the staff reacted calmly. The incident has shocked us,” she added.

The Vienna theft comes in the middle of a series of museum heists across Europe – from a Spanish Bronze Age collection stolen in four minutes to six paintings in Italy. Europol warned that museum thefts are “becoming increasingly aggressive” and may signal new organised‑crime networks.

Police dogs are now patrolling Vienna and nearby Lower Austria, while forensic specialists sift through CCTV footage. The exhibition was reopened after the necklace was removed, but it remains a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of priceless artefacts in public spaces.